Universal adjustable wrecker body sub-frame and body panel assemblies

ABSTRACT

An adjustable body sub-frame assembly that mounts on a truck chassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly that mounts on the body sub-frame assembly. The body sub-frame assembly includes left and right sub-frame rails that mount on respective truck chassis rails. Each sub-frame rail includes sub-frame brace tubes and body support brackets. The sub-frame brace tubes are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally inward from the truck chassis rails, and the body support brackets are fixed to the sub-frame rails extending laterally outward from the truck chassis rails. The body sub-frame assembly further includes sub-frame brace sleeves that receive corresponding sub-frame brace tubes of the sub-frame rails. The sub-frame brace tubes can be welded at different positions within the sub-frame brace sleeves providing for adjustability in the width of the body sub-frame assembly. The body panel assembly includes left and right body panels. Each body panel includes mounting brackets fixed thereto extending laterally inward. Each mounting bracket of each body panel aligns with a corresponding body support bracket of the corresponding sub-frame rail. Each body panel mounts on the support brackets of the corresponding sub-frame rail in a plurality of lateral positions providing for adjustability in the width of the body panel assembly. The body panel assembly further includes length spacer panels cut to size to provide for adjustability in the length of the body panel assembly.

This application is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 09/659,553filed Sep. 11, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,450 which is a divisional ofApplication Ser. No. 09/134,895, filed Aug. 17, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No.6,120,235.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adjustable body sub-frame assemblyand an adjustable body panel assembly for a truck chassis, such as awrecker or the like.

Truck chassis with custom body assemblies are well known in certainindustries (i.e. the wrecker and car carrier industries). A bodyassembly typically comprises a left body panel and a right body panel,and typically includes storage compartments for tools and supplies. Thebody assembly makes up the structural truck body that covers the chassisand drive train. An example of a truck chassis with an attached bodyassembly that is typical of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,773 toKalis, Jr. et al. (Kalis). Kalis shows a body assembly that is formedfrom metal panels that are welded together and then bolted to the truckchassis.

Truck chassis are available in various different standard sizes (widthand length) depending on the country of origin. For example, the UnitedStates truck manufacturers generally produce two standard truck chassiswidths suitable for a wrecker, 34″ and 37.5″, and the Japanese andEuropean manufacturers produce different standard chassis sizes. Thebody assembly width that a given chassis can accommodate is governed bythe chassis width, in combination with the cab width and width betweenthe outermost rear wheels (i.e. depending on the size of the rearwheels, and whether the chassis includes two or four rear wheels). Eachdifferent chassis width, therefore, accommodates a different range ofbody assembly widths. Further, to mount a desired body on a givenchassis, the body must include a frame with a width that matches thewidth of the chassis. Chassis lengths also vary, which in turn governsthe length of a body assembly that can be accommodated by a givenchassis. Therefore, each body assembly must be produced with specificdimensions depending on the particular chassis for which the bodyassembly is designated.

Accordingly, manufacturers must produce different body assemblies forthe various different chassis sizes. Factories must then either expandmanufacturing capabilities to facilitate simultaneous production of thedifferent body assemblies, or re-tool their manufacturing lines toswitch between body assembly sizes. Factories must also increase theirparts inventories to accommodate the different body assembly sizes, anddistributors, to the extent that they stock body assemblies, mustincrease their inventories. The prior art, therefore, presents severaldrawbacks, including increased manufacturing tooling costs, increasedfactory and distributor inventory requirements, and increasedmanufacturing lead times.

The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art byproviding an adjustable body sub-frame assembly for mounting on a truckchassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly for mounting on the bodysub-frame assembly. One universal, adjustable body sub-frame assemblyand one universal, adjustable body panel assembly of the presentinvention fit virtually any truck chassis. The present invention therebyreduces the manufacturing capability and inventory requirementsassociated with multiple body sub-frame and body panel assembly sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The adjustable body sub-frame assembly of the present invention mountson the chassis rails of a truck chassis. The body sub-frame assemblycomprises left and right sub-frame rails that mount on left and righttruck chassis rails, respectively. Each sub-frame rail includes aplurality of sub-frame brace tubes, and a plurality of body supportbrackets. Each sub-frame brace tube is fixed to a respective sub-framerail in a lateral direction extending inward from the respective truckchassis rail, and each body support bracket is fixed to a respectivesub-frame rail in a lateral direction extending outward from therespective truck chassis rail. Further, each body support bracket has aseries of holes at a predetermined spacing along its length.

The body sub-frame assembly further comprises a plurality of sub-framebrace sleeves, each having two open ends. Each sub-frame brace sleevereceives a corresponding sub-frame brace tube of the left sub-frame railin one open end, and receives a corresponding sub-frame brace tube ofthe right sub-frame rail in the other open end. The sub-frame bracetubes are inserted a predetermined distance into the respectivesub-frame brace sleeves to a position such that each sub-frame railaligns with the respective truck chassis rail. The sub-frame brace tubesare then welded in the sub-frame brace sleeves at that position.Accordingly, the body sub-frame assembly is thereby being adjustable tofit truck chassis of various widths.

The adjustable body panel assembly of the present invention comprisesleft and right body panels. Each body panel includes a plurality ofmounting brackets fixed thereto in a direction extending laterallyinward from the inner side of the body panel, and each mounting brackethas a series of holes at a predetermined spacing along its length. Eachmounting bracket of each body panel aligns with a corresponding bodysupport bracket of the corresponding sub-frame rail. Each body panel canbe mounted on the support brackets of the corresponding sub-frame railin a plurality of lateral positions. In each such lateral position, asubset of the series of holes in each mounting bracket aligns with asubset of the series of holes in the corresponding body support bracket.The body panel assembly is thereby also adjustable to fit truck chassisof various widths.

Additionally, the body panel assembly of the present invention includeslength spacer panels that are cut to size in accordance with a length ofthe truck chassis. A length spacer panel is mounted in a space betweenthe front end of each of the left and right body panels and the truckcab located at the front end of the truck chassis. The length spacerpanels thereby provide for mounting the body panel assembly of thepresent invention on truck chassis of various lengths.

The present invention provides advantages over the prior art byproviding an adjustable body sub-frame assembly for mounting on a truckchassis, and an adjustable body panel assembly for mounting on the bodysub-frame assembly. The body sub-frame assembly is adjustable in thewidth dimension, and the body panel assembly is adjustable in both thewidth and length dimensions, to fit chassis of varying sizes. The widthadjustment of the body sub-frame assembly accommodates the truck chassiswidth, and the width adjustment of the body panel assembly accommodatesthe body sub-frame width, cab width, and width between the outermostrear wheels of the truck chassis. The length spacer panel accommodatesvariations in chassis length. The present invention thereby provides forone universal body sub-frame assembly and one universal body panelassembly that are adjustable to fit virtually any truck chassis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of the body panel assembly and bodysub-frame assembly of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,mounted on a wide truck chassis, with component deck plates.

FIG. 2 illustrates a left side view of a wrecker with a body panelassembly and body sub-frame assembly in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the body panel assembly and bodysub-frame assembly of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,mounted on a narrow truck chassis, with component deck plates.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the body panel assembly and bodysub-frame assembly of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,with integral deck plates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a top view of the body assembly and sub-frame assembly ofan exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The body assemblycomprises left and right body panels 31 and 32, each with a pair ofmounting brackets 33 and 34, respectively. The left and right bodypanels mount on a body sub-frame assembly, which comprises left andright sub-frame members 35 and 36. Each sub-frame member comprises asub-frame rail 37,38, a pair of body support brackets 39,40, and threesub-frame brace tubes 41,42. The left and right sub-frame members areheld together as the body sub-frame assembly via three sub-frame bracesleeves 45. Except where expressly stated otherwise, the left and rightbody panels 31 and 32, and the left and right sub-frame members 35 and36, are mirror images of each other.

FIG. 2 shows a left side view of a wrecker 10 equipped with adjustablesub-frame and body panel assemblies in accordance with the exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. The wrecker also includes a liftassembly for towing a disabled vehicle. A wide variety of different liftassembly embodiments can be employed with the adjustable sub-frame andbody panel assemblies of the present invention, and followingdescription illustrates one such embodiment. The wrecker comprises achassis 12, with a cab 11 and lift assembly 50 mounted thereon. The liftassembly includes a main boom 55 pivotally mounted to the truck chassiswith a hydraulic system (not shown) for raising, lowering, extending,and/or retracting the main boom 55. The lift assembly 55 furtherincludes an extension boom 62 pivotally connected to the end of the mainboom 55 with a hydraulic system (not shown) for rotating the extensionboom 62 up and down. A wheel grid assembly 64 is attached at the end ofthe extension boom 62 for engaging the front or rear wheels of a vehicleto be towed.

The body panel 15 includes the pair of mounting brackets 33, eachengaging a body support bracket 39 of the left sub-frame member. Thebody panel is secured to the sub-frame member by bolting the mountingbrackets 33 to the respective body support brackets 39 with bolts 22. Alength spacer panel 20 is cut to cover a portion of the chassis betweenthe cab 11 and the body panel 15.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the body sub-frame assembly is assembled withtwo opposing sub-frame members 35 and 36 connected together with theirrespective sub-frame brace tubes 41 and 42 inserted into respectivesub-frame brace sleeves 45. Each of the three sub-frame brace tubes 41of the left sub-frame member 35 is inserted into one end of a sub-framebrace sleeve 45. Each of the three sub-frame brace tubes 42 of the rightsub-frame member 36 is inserted into the other end of the sub-framebrace sleeve 45 opposite to a corresponding sub-frame brace tube 41. Thesub-frame brace tubes 41,42 are inserted a predetermined distance intothe sub-frame brace sleeves 45.

The sub-frame brace tubes 42 are fixed to the sub-frame rail 38 of theright sub-frame member 36, and the sub-frame brace tubes 41 are fixed tothe sub-frame rail 37 of the left sub-frame member 35. The predetermineddistance that the sub-frame brace tubes 41,42 are inserted into thesub-frame brace sleeves 45 is set such that the sub-frame rails 37 and38 line up with the chassis rails 13 and 14, respectively. The sub-framebrace tubes are welded into the sub-frame brace sleeves in thatposition. The body sub-frame assembly is then ready for mounting on thedesired chassis.

For example, comparing FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the body sub-frame assembly ofFIG. 1 is mounted on a wide truck chassis, compared to the bodysub-frame assembly of FIG. 3 mounted on a narrower truck chassis. Thesub-frame brace tubes 41,42 of the sub-frame members in FIG. 1 arepartially inserted into the sub-frame brace sleeves 45, resulting in awider positioning of the sub-frame rails 37 and 38 to line up with thewider configuration of chassis rails 13 and 14, respectively.Comparatively, the sub-frame brace tubes 41,42 of the sub-frame membersin FIG. 3 are fully inserted into the sub-frame brace sleeves 45,resulting in a narrower positioning of the sub-frame rails 37 and 38 toline up with the narrower configuration of chassis rails 13 and 14,respectively. The sub-frame assembly is thereby adjustable to fit avariety of different chassis widths.

The body sub-frame assembly supports the left and right body panels 31and 32 via the body support brackets 39 and 40, respectively. The bodysupport brackets 39 are fixed to the left sub-frame rail 37 on theopposite side from the sub-frame brace tubes 41, and the body supportbrackets 40 are fixed to the right sub-frame rail 38 on the oppositeside from sub-frame brace tubes 42. The mounting brackets 33 and 34 ofthe left and right body panels align with the respective body supportbrackets 33 and 34. The mounting brackets 33 and 34, and the bodysupport brackets 39 and 40, each have a series of holes at apredetermined spacing along their length. The predetermined spacing isset such that the holes of a given mounting bracket line up with theholes of the corresponding body support bracket in a manner allowing forvarious lateral mounting positions for the body panel on the bodysub-frame assembly. The various lateral positions are designed toaccommodate a number of standard truck chassis and cab widths. Each bodypanel is positioned on the corresponding body support brackets at adesired lateral position with respect to the cab width and width betweenouter rear wheels, and bolted in that position.

For example, again comparing FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the left and right bodypanels 31 and 32 of FIG. 1 are mounted on a wide truck chassis, comparedto the left and right body panels 31 and 32 of FIG. 3 mounted on anarrower truck chassis. The mounting brackets 33 and 34 of the bodypanels in FIG. 1 are partially inserted over the respective body supportbrackets 39 and 40 of the respective sub-frame members 35 and 36,resulting in a wider positioning of the body panels with respect to thetruck cab and chassis. Comparatively, the mounting brackets 33 and 34 ofthe body panels in FIG. 3 are almost fully inserted over the respectivebody support brackets 39 and 40 of the respective sub-frame members 35and 36, resulting in a narrower positioning of the body panels withrespect to the truck cab and chassis. A single universal body panel isthereby adjustable to fit truck chassis of a variety of widths, and isalso readily removable for replacement or easy access to the chassis anddrive train for repairs.

Once the left and right body panels are mounted on the body sub-frameassembly, left deck plates 51 and 52 are connected to each other in anoverlapping fashion, as are right deck plates 53 and 54. The connecteddeck plate assemblies 51/52 and 53/54 are mounted to the top surfaces atthe inner rear ends of the left and right body panels 31 and 32,respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The amount of overlap betweendeck panels of a connected pair depends on the width of the particulartruck chassis, further increasing the flexibility of fitting universaladjustable body panels on truck chassis of a variety of widths.Alternatively, single left and right deck plates can be cut to size inaccordance with the chassis width, and mounted to the top surface at theinner rear ends of the left and right body panels 31 and 32,respectively.

The deck plates form a deck between the respective body panels 31 and 32and the automobile lift assembly 50, The deck plates or deck plateassemblies can be bolted, welded, riveted, or otherwise fixed togetherand in place. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, single deck plates 71and 72 can be integrally provided as part of the respective body panels31 and 32. The deck plates [61 and 62] 71 and 72 are cut to size inaccordance with the desired chassis width.

Further, left and right length spacer panels 20 and 21, respectively,are cut to size and mounted to the left and right body panels, coveringspaces between the left and right body panels 31 and 32, and the truckcab 11. Body support brackets 57 and 58 are fixed to the outer sides ofthe left and right chassis rails 13 and 14, respectively. The bodysupport brackets 57 and 58 align with mounting brackets 59 and 60 of theleft and right length spacer panels 20 and 21, respectively. As with themounting brackets and body support brackets of the body panels 31 and32, the mounting brackets 59 and 60, and the body support brackets 57and 58, each have a series of holes at a predetermined spacing alongtheir length. The predetermined spacing is set such that the holes of agiven mounting bracket-line up with the holes of the corresponding bodysupport bracket in a manner allowing for various lateral mountingpositions for the body panel on the body sub-frame assembly. The variouslateral positions are designed to accommodate a number of standard truckchassis and cab widths, and provide for alignment of the length spacerpanels 20 and 21 with the respective left and right body panels 31 and32.

Each length spacer panel is positioned on the corresponding body supportbracket at a desired lateral position with respect to the respectivebody panel, and bolted in that position. Further, each length spacerpanel is bolted to the respective body panel, as illustrated in FIGS. 1,3, and 4. The length spacer panels thereby accommodate for a variety oftruck chassis lengths upon which the universal adjustable body panels ofthe present invention can be mounted.

Of course, it should be understood that a wide range of modificationscan be made to the exemplary embodiments described above. It istherefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regardedas illustrative rather than limiting and that it be understood that itis the following claims, including all equivalents, which are intendedto define the scope of this invention.

We claim:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a body panel for a truck chassis;at least one mounting bracket fixed to the body panel in a directionextending laterally inward from an inner side of the body panel, and theat least one mounting bracket having a series of holes at apredetermined spacing along its length; the at least one mountingbracket aligning with at least one corresponding body support bracketfixed to the truck chassis in a direction extending laterally outwardfrom the truck chassis, and the at least one body support bracket havinga series of holes at a predetermined spacing along its length; and thebody panel being mountable on the at least one support bracket in aplurality of lateral positions, wherein, at each such position, a subsetof the series of holes in the mounting bracket align with a subset ofthe series of holes in the body support bracket.
 2. An apparatus formounting on one of a plurality of tow vehicle chassis each havingdifferent widths between chassis rails, the apparatus comprising: a towvehicle body panel; and at least one mounting element fixed to the bodypanel and extending laterally to the body panel; the at least onemounting element being engageable with at least one corresponding bodysupport element fixed to a predetermined one of the plurality of towvehicle chassis and extending laterally to the chassis the body paneland the at least one mounting element being permanently mountable on theat least one body support element in one of a plurality of lateralpositions, wherein in each such position the at least one mountingelement engages the at least one body support element at one of aplurality of positions responsive to the width between the chassis railsof the predetermined tow vehicle chassis.
 3. The invention of claim 2,wherein said mounting element extends inwardly from the body panel, andsaid body support element extends laterally outwardly from said chassis.4. The invention of claim 2, wherein one of said mounting element orsaid body support element includes aligning elements at predeterminedpositions along its length; and said mounting element and said bodysupport element engage at one of said predetermined positions.
 5. Theinvention of claim 2, wherein said mounting element includes aligningelements at predetermined positions along its length, said body supportelement includes aligning elements at predetermined positions along itslength; and said mounting element and said body support element engageand align at one of said predetermined positions of each said aligningelement.
 6. The invention of claim 2, wherein said body support elementis fixed by a body frame subassembly.
 7. The invention of claim 2,comprising a plurality of mounting elements fixed to said body panel,and a plurality of corresponding body support elements fixed to saidchassis, each of said mounting elements including aligning elements atpredetermined positions along its length, each of said body supportelements including aligning elements at corresponding predeterminedpositions along its length; wherein said mounting elements and said bodysupport elements engage at one of said predetermined positions.
 8. Theinvention of claim 2, further comprising at least one deck plate thatmounts on a top surface at an inner rear edge of the body panel to covera portion of the chassis.
 9. The invention of claim 2, furthercomprising a plurality of deck plates that mount together in anoverlapping fashion, and mount on a top surface at an inner rear edge ofthe body panel to cover a portion of the truck chassis, the plurality ofdeck plates overlap a predetermined amount in accordance with a width ofthe chassis.
 10. The invention of claim 2, further comprising a deckplate on a top surface at an inner rear edge of the body panel coveringa portion of the chassis, the deck plate being cut to a size inaccordance with a width of the chassis.
 11. The invention of claim 2,further comprising a length spacer panel that is cut to size inaccordance with a length of the chassis, and is mounted in a spacebetween a front end of the body panel and a truck cab located at a frontend of the truck chassis.
 12. An adjustable tow vehicle body sub-frameassembly for mounting on any one of a plurality of tow vehicle chassiseach having different widths and each having left and right chassisrails, and for accommodating a body panel assembly to be mountedthereon, the body sub-frame assembly comprising: left and rightsub-frame rails for mounting on the left and right chassis rails,respectively, each sub-frame rail having at least a first sub-framebrace element fixed thereto in a lateral direction to the respectivechassis rail, and each sub-frame rail having at least one body supportelement fixed thereto in a lateral direction to the respective chassisrail for mounting the body panel assembly; a second sub-frame braceelement having two connecting ends, the second sub-frame brace elementbeing for connecting to the first sub-frame brace element of the leftsub-frame rail at one connecting end, and for connecting to the firstsub-frame brace element of the right sub-frame rail at the otherconnecting end; the first sub-frame brace elements being connectible tothe second sub-frame brace element such that each sub-frame railsubstantially aligns with, and is substantially parallel to, therespective chassis rail, and the first sub-frame brace elements aresecured to the second sub-frame brace element at a predeterminedposition.
 13. The invention of claim 12, wherein said first sub-framebrace elements extend inward from the respective chassis rail, and thebody support elements extend outward from said respective chassis rail.14. The invention of claim 12, wherein one of said first sub-frameelements or second sub-frame elements receives the other respectiveelement.
 15. The invention of claim 12, including a plurality of firstsub-frame brace elements, and a plurality of corresponding secondsub-frame brace elements.
 16. The invention of claim 12, wherein one ofsaid first sub-frame brace element or said second sub-frame braceelement is a either a tube or a sleeve, and the other of said sub-framebrace element is the other of said tube or sleeve, wherein said firstand second sub-frame brace elements connect to each other by therespective engagement of the tube and the sleeve.
 17. The invention ofclaim 12, wherein said first sub-frame brace element is a tube, and saidsecond sub-frame brace element is a sleeve, wherein said first andsecond sub-frame brace elements connect to each other by the engagementof the tube and the sleeve.